Jets-Bucs Game Preview (11/9)

football with no work. I gotta be honest with you. I did not like a lot of the football I saw early one o'clock game. I was missing Jets football. The Dallas Kansas City game was entertaining. But hey, it's time for the Green and White. The get back to work and they're going on the road. And this week on the Game Preview podcast were joined by former Jets and Bucks tight end Anthony Becked, as well as Rick Stroud,

who covers the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times. He actually knows Rick Stroud from his time in Tampa Bay well back in two thousand. I started my NFL career in the pr department on the Buccaneers. Tony Dungee was the head coach, uh Rod Marinelli, defensive line coach Love Smith defensive backs coach, and future Jets head coach Herman

Edwards was a secondary coach. And did you know that when Herman Edwards went up to New York and took the job here with the Jets, the guy who was replaced by Mike Tomlin, future head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So that's all the Tony Dungee tree. But yes, Rick Stroud has been covering the Buccaneers for a long time and I got a chance to interact with him on a few occasions as I was just a young buck

coming up in Tampa. No pun intended there. I d a the Jets good game last Thursday week night against the Bills, now four or five all right, outstanding game thirt went over the Bills. Though, moving forward to this week, the Jets a little rested with this mini buy right, what do they need to accomplish off the field in order to win this game on Sunday? Well, I just

think you gotta keep a similar mindset. I think Todd Bowlis has said, these guys ready to play for each of the nine contests so far in two thousand and seventeen. Jermaine Curse corrected me on Inside the Jets the other day, actually corrected Bart Scott, and you can listen to that an official Jets podcast as well. He said, you know, I think from the beginning of this season, you know, we've had that type of confidence. Um, the first game against Buffalo has been was the first game a lot

of us even played with each other. When I was talking to a lot of people, I would ask him, ill, how long have you been on the team, And some of them was like, I just got here March. And so, you know, the more and more people I have asked, I'm like, man, this team is like really brand new, and whether they were young or they just got here.

So that first those first two games, we were kind of just figuring out who we were, you know, and just figuring out what's our team identity, what are is our standards and you know, kind of learning about accountability and sacrificing. So but as far as confidence wise, it I don't think there was any lack of it. Right now for the Jets, it's to become a more consistent team Josh McCown has said, we haven't really played a

complete game. We've shown flashes. But for now the Jets, they just got to be more consistent because you look at their seasons so far as been a season of streaks. You lose to you win three, you lose three, now you win one, and now you're looking to go on another winning streak. And this is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team greens that is struggling mightily two and six, and they will be without a couple of their top performers

on Sunday. Jamis Winston shut down with a shoulder injury and Mike Evans suspended for one game after shoving Saints cornerback Marshawn Lattimore. He got suspended by the NFL. He appealed it, it was upheld. He won't play Sunday. In turn, this is where the Bucks have left. Ryan Fitzpatrick will start for the Buccaneers. Obviously, Jets fans are familiar with him. To Shawn Jackson, the speedy receiver formerly of the Eagles and the Redskins. First year in Tampa, he slides into

the one, Chris Godwin, Adam Humphries. Those are the guys in the receiving corps. Then you got a pair of tight ends who will touch on with Anthony Becked and Cameron brad and rookie O J. Howard. Ryan Fitzpatrick is gonna give you some opportunities to make some plays on a football. A lot of pre snapper reeds from fits Um and he's gonna try to get the ball quickly. I don't know if you're gonna have an opportunity to get there seven times because he likes to release that

ball quickly. But we're talking tight ends. And I also gotta think about Doug Martin because when you look at Tampa, I think there is a mismatch of in the Jets favor, especially up front. Their role line a little bit banged up against the Jets defensive line that's starting to um feel itself so to speak. You know, they are playing with some confidence. I think Mohammed Wokerson has had his best stretch of the season. Leonard Williams continues to be

stout against the Ron. He got into the sick department as well. And I just think that there's a good mojo upfront for the Jets and they have a clear advantage against Tampa. If you're a fan of storylines, obviously has no implication on the games with this weekend is full of them. You know about Fitzpatrick, Josh McCown going back to Tampa where he spent the two thousand and fourteen season where oh, by the way, Austin Safari and

Jenkins was drafted. So if you didn't know that they were familiar with each other before this year, check out Jets flight plan on Sunday because you sat down with a s J shout down with Jimmy Johnson tight Ends coach and Josh McCown for an in depth look. So be sure to look for that nice plug. Nice plugs. I will tell you this is the third consecutive year that Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown have faced each other in a regular season. Let's dial up our feature guests.

Let's bring in Anthony back to where's a number of hats? You actually live in Tampa. The Jets are coming down to face the Buccaneers this week, and you actually are employed by both organizations? Is that true? Yeah, you know it's it's it's a it's a good deal because who has more information about two teams that are playing each other than me. So I know these guys fairly watch them studium and uh against two teams. In my opinion, even though they do uh they do uh promote me

on both sides are going in different directions. Why is that happening, Anthony? You know, I'll tell you it comes. It's a lot of things. I mean, number one, offensively, you know, when you have a team that's been put together with the star or uh you know, really paper star power like the Buccaneers, you have high expectations. Unfortunately, that ship is driven by your quarterback. And I think right now Jamis Winston. Uh he's got a little bit of a shoulder thing going on that he's dealing with.

But you know, for me, Eric, you know when when when players are on the field and they're playing and they're injured, if you can't do what you can do and do it to the best of your ability to help the team, then you shouldn't be out there. But if you're all on the field, then you you've got to be able to live up and play up to the expectation level to make sure that that team has enough to win on the field. And right now, you

know it's Jamis is accuracy right now is an issue. Uh, you know, his ability to you know, throw the ball down the field has not been consistent. Sean Jackson should have ten touchdowns this year on deep balls and we haven't connected one of them yet. So it's been a frustrating deal with this offense. Again, weapons would where a lot of star power, but the production on the field has been minimal, at least from the offense endpoint. Anthony, You've been saying that the Bucks have not put together

a complete performance on offense. What have you seen out of Mike Evans, who's highly regarded as a potential top three receiver in the league right now? Now, you're right. I mean, statistically this year you wouldn't say that, but he's open. You know, he's still winning routes. Uh. Last the last couple of years, he's been as dominant as any receiver in the league. It's an excellent matchup, you know. You know, Mike has a lot of advantages on his side,

and he's got great length, great speed. Uh, you know, his his reachable catch radius, it's huge. It's tough for defensive backs, even you know, bigger guys like Claiborne, and they just have problems with him because you know, he's able to kind of go get footballs where a lot of receivers can't get them. But unfortunately, right now they the Buccaneers, cannot find ways to get him to football down the field in productive places for him to be

a game changer. And you know with the after she issues in the quarterback situation and that that's been tough. But he is as deadly and dangerous as any humor in the league. He's someone you have to deal with. We just can't find ways to get the ball. Then how do you how do you prevent an implosion down there? Because you know it, You've been part of teams that have struggled before. There's two ways of going right now.

You can either pack up the tents and say, hey, listen, I'm gonna do what I do and not worry about the team. Or you guys can come together and they can start playing better football, the kind of football that everybody expected from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the two thousand and seventeen season started. You know, you would like to say the latter that these guys could galvanize together and and you know, you've got so much talent. There's enough talent there that you don't have to be great

every week. You just gotta be good and execute properly. And they haven't been able to do that. So, uh, you know, listen, this this is a tough matchup. You know, listen, the Jets are are they laughed the start out, There's no question about it. But they will punch you in the mount and they will fight you for four quarters.

And the more AMMO you feed them as far as telling them they're gonna lose every game before the season or they're not good enough where they can't do this or that, the more they respond, and that team is galvanized. And you look at the Buccaneers at two and six and then you come off as you know, the same scheme where you have some other things. I mean, everybody in the media is talking about a sideline issue and fighting and pushing and shoving outside of the game of football.

That's never a good thing for an organization. So, uh, can they do it? Yeah? Do they have the guys that do it? Absolutely? There's no signs right now that showed me that. And unfortunately, with eight games left and a quarterback that's injured, I don't know where you turn right now, but hopefully for the latter they can turn things around and become a team that can finish strong

over the last eight games. Well, I want to talk about the Jets here in just a second, but you've been on twitter ed Anthony Becked saying that Winston's accuracy continues to be a problem. You men, send it here earlier in the podcast. What about his maturity, Anthony? You know, it's interesting because you know, the first one in the building, the last one out, the guy that works the harvest. Uh, the guy that does everything you want from an organizational

standpoint is Jameis Winston. And you know what, Jamison, you can used to have to prove himself because of the things obviously coming out of college. And then you know off the field, and he's been eight plus off the field, there's still a question about it. He's done everything you could want within the community support. Uh, just very top end.

And then though there's the thing that rubs merong because I'm a guy that I'm old school and and and I'm always watching actions and and and constantly seeing how players are. And you know, in this league, it's a younger league, there's a lot of outside things that can

be pulled in as distractions. And you know when I saw Jamis u in the set on the sideline in the same game, and I'm thinking to myself, a day's points finger And then he goes and he starts poking a Lattimore, a Lottimore in the back, and I'm thinking, Okay, what are you doing. You know you're out of the game. Uh, you know, you're no longer part of what this team to team can do at the present time. And you're coming on the off the field onto the playoff silding,

you're doing those kind of things. And I'm thinking with Tom Brady, with Josh McCown, with Drew Brees, with Marcus Mariotta, do that and you know, instigate something silly like that. And it wasn't even a time, guys, even if it was being funny, you're down four touchdowns. I don't think anybody was smiling at that time. So and then it pulls in Mike Evans. You know, he probably touches the back game when Lattimore pushes him, and he puts a cheap shot in on Lattimore. So it just loves a

book good. But it starts with the quarterback, and you go back to is he mature? Well, he has, he showed me, show me everything, and the fact that he's been mature as a quarterback. But then you see something like that and you're thinking, why why are you going there? Why are you even attempting to to to to put a shot at your personality or all the things you've worked so hard to do for something simple like that that you probably did think was a big deal. But

we all know the cameras always on you. Man, everybody sees him. Now you're a headline on Sports Center and it has nothing to do with your football ability. So it's unfortunate. Hopefully we've never see it again. Guys, Yeah, and they haven't been able to establish balance. I like Doug Martin as a player, but doesn't seem like there's a lot of holes there for him in the run game. Let's flip to the Jets side. What do you think

about the transformation that you've seen from Austin Safari and Jenkins? Man. I'll tell you know, I've been I've been speaking with him in textinggan since he signed up for the Jets, and obviously I I tried to connect with him as much as I could in camp. I wanted to help this guy, wanted him to be successful because I saw the potential when he came out of college, and I know he had to Michis and he needs to be guided.

And at that point in Austinsperian Jenkins life in Tampa, you know, he was saying all the right things to me, but we he never took the time to embrace the help and listen and get together and under stand and learn what it takes to be a pro and then be Quite honestly, I don't know how much he loved the game when he was a Champa for whatever reason that might have been, whether he was young, whether they you know, just didn't like his situation or whatever it was,

and it just never came together. And then obviously he had some ups and downs off the field bowl those things. Obviously, it takes sometimes changeing a person to realize what they have. Unfortunately, takes a pour mistake for them to realize, you know, what they have in front of him. And I think he's a perfect example of that. You know, Austin to me is a is a guy that you know when I talked to him. Now, different demeanor, football is important

to him. Uh. You know, he's gone to a team where he feels like he's being embraced and utilized in the winning games, and you know, he's having some success and he's got a long road ahead of him. I mean, let's be honest, guys. You know, he's still got to put his footprint down as a guy to be accountable every week. Uh. You know, if you go out in the few to be a Titan, that could be dominant

his position. But I think right now what he's doing is keeping taking every opportunity has had so far and uh, you know, rewarding the Jets number one for taking a chance on him and giving great play and consistently now showing that he can do it, you know, weekend and week out basis. And you know, listen, it's a it's a one year kind of proving deal. I mean, you know, there's there's no long term uh fulfillment with the Jets

for him. He has to prove himself every single game to show that he's worried to stay with them moving forward after this season. So he goes that. You know, he understands that, and you know, he's just glad that he's got this one opportunity, so I'm hoping that it continues to work out for him. I mean, listen, he's wearing eighty eight, so obviously I gotta the tie there. Don't just give that number way, right, Guys that you know do some fine a come through that door. And

he's got an expectation level to live up to. Anthony Becks here on the Official Jetz Podcast. Anthony, knowing both teams as well as you do, what do you think that the Jets formula for successes this weekend? Well, you know, listen, they have some undersized guys on the edges on defense right now because of the injuries and and lack of guys being able to kind of set the edge and and and that's an issue. I mean that that that's glaring on tape. That's something that that's not going to

be a secret um. The secondary has been has been a little bit of an up and down story. You know, Brent Grimes has been off and on injury. He's by fall All dels Loft down corner when he's on the field for a different team in the secondary. But he didn't play last week, and you know, his status is still up in the air. And even if he is on the field, you know how healthy it see. So I think you know, when you look at what this

defense brings, it brings a lot of inconsistent play. You know, listen, guys, this is the defense that was built in the off season that needed all eleven players on the field and healthy that started the season to be good, to be maunageable, to be able to do the things he wants to do. Unfortunately, they've had a fixed bag of injuries. It's been off and on. Guys have been on in and out, and it hasn't been the way they wanted to draw it up. And they've got a kind of sugarcoat and kind of

hide and disguise some of their weaknesses. So I'd say the most glaring thing for me is attacking the edges. And you know, when you talk about the Jets and what they have, you know, four K probably isn't the premier edge guy, but you know, bout pound, why are those guys mixed game a little playoffs? And really what they've been doing, it's going to be even probably more

effective when you're looking at what the weaknesses are. Yeah, the Jets gotta feel awfully confident coming into this game, and I think Todd Bowls will continue to take the proper approach of Hey, listen, there isn't no time to rest on your laurels just because you beat the Buffalo Bills in your four and five. But you're right about the Buccaneers lack of being successful and setting that edge.

The Jets just rushed for nearly two yards against the Bills team that entered the ball game Thursday night, right number three in the National Football League against the run. And then you got Josh McCown who's spreading the ball around to everybody. We mentioned Austin's Varion Jenkabs before, Jermaine Curis, Robby Anderson continues to develop as a receiver, and uh, you really can't focus in on one guy with this Jets offense. That's the beauty of it. Conversely, what do

you like best about the Jets defense right now? A lot of folks are talking about those rookie safeties and they're playing really well. How about Da Mario Davis and Darrently in the middle. A lot of people thought that middle linebacker uh spot was suspect for the Jets before the season, but they're coming on. And then Mohammed Wokerson has had his best three weeks in two thousand and seventeen,

back to back to back. Here entering the ball game against Tampa and the Jets had only eleven sex entering the game against the Bills and they come down with seven. Well, I think the trend is e gradually game one heading up. Not a lot of gets and valleys, and that's what you want. And you you know, again, I was talking to uh one of the coaches up before the game

and the sacks like where are there? Early on you would see Darren Ly you know, hit the wrong holes, not being the right gaps, Jamal Adams coming down in the wrong gaps, and all of a sudden, you know, after the Raiders game, when they kind of got hit in the mouth again of the Run game, that's when they started. You know, they see what's going on on film and they're able to be better at it and improve. And that's the best thing. You love, you you love to see a guy like Darren Lee can improve this

game because he's it, you know, n't it. I didn't hit it, I got blocked here, I got pantake there, But he wasn't in the right spot. He wasn't doing the you know, playing with intense within the defensive toples is calling and then all of a sudden, then the right spots coming into this season. If you were to ask anybody on the judge that you wanted to see, what would you say, Well, you know, yeah, you'd love to see win, but you want to see young players

progress and get better and stuck. You know what. These things were proving that they could be good. And these guys today and I think the most important thing with this Church team is is this guys are getting skills, are putting drives together. So now not only are you being efficient, but this season was very an eyeball just what guys could stick and what guys can do it.

And you're seeing when you can fine ten play drives on offense, you're sending out about lineman, you're finding all about down receivers, youse, guys are getting reps after reps after rest. Well, now you can figure out okay or these the pieces that are important to build the jets moving forward. And I think that's the differest thing. The reps that guys are gaining that are are important. Vallot reps, situational reps, fourth quarter reps where the team is in

the game, what do you win to lose? You build in every game. You're finding out so much information about the current roster that that is going to pay huge dividends. Because if you just look right across the street with the Giants, you know they're playing some turnical ball and you're not able to get anything going to getting. You can't know from Luptick or young guys playing well because they're not getting defining plays in a game that's completely

the opposite of what the Jets are getting. So not only are they learning on the rum with young players, they're getting meaningful plays and reps that go with and nothink to me, that's placeless for organizations of maybe didn't think this is going to be as good or maybe from the outside looking in, and now all of a sudden, then you know you potenitions befinde in the Thickett things, pushing for a back in wild card spot and still getting growth and learning with some of your young players.

This guy is excited. Anthony Beck is excited about this Jets team who has an opportunity to go five in five this week when they traveled down to the Gulf down there to Tampa against a struggling Buccaneers team. Uh Anthony back to wear's multiple hats worked for us during the preseason, still doing some pregame radio on the Jets. Radio and Network does a lot down there with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization has a radio show down in

Tampa as well. And then last but not least, you're on Saturday afternoons or Saturday evenings each and every week for ESPN doing color commentary. Last week you saw Auburn take a part, uh Texas A and I'm at Kyle Field. But you're all over the country. So who is the Heisman Trophy favorite at this time? Is that Baker Mayfield? Man goes to the best player in the country? Um Man. I'll tell you know, I put a top five out every week and you know, to me, you know, the

best player in my opinion, see kuon Barkley. And you know I always look at things always for looking forward, also because I like to tie in everything with what are these guys going to do in the NFL? Like are these guys NFL players? Can they play? And I just think all around when you're looking at the best player to me. That springs so much to the cable that's at Anthony Back former Jets tight End, former bucking Eers tight and he works for both organizations. He's also

doing a very good work for ESPN. We're watching him on Saturday afternoons, and I like whoever is doing your little caricatures as well. I'm I like all those little graphics. I need a couple of people here to help me with some graphics myself. I liked us, love the engagement being on the show. Talk to you guys, and every couple of weeks the New York Now, it's always a pleasure. We'll see you Sunday, buddy, all right, man, see later.

All right. That was great stuff from Anthony Backs, who you said were as many hats and you could see that he does. I think he fell college and you have to watch him on Saturdays on ESPN. You know me, monster college. Anthony has been fantastic and he did a great job for the organization here after Marty Lions suffered this stroke doing color commentary on ESPN Radio with Bob was Shusan. He does a lot of work down there in Tampa. He lives down in Tampa with the Buccaneers

and then on college football. I think his analysis has been spot on and he's really grown and I'm really happy for his success. Now it's time to turn the page because Jets bucks football this Sunday. This is the first out of four games that they'll be without Jeremy Curley, who was suspended by the NFL earlier this week. He's eligible to return to practice December eleventh, will be back against the Saints. So intern coach was obviously asked, all right,

what's the plan here and involves a pair of rookies. Well, yeah, and it's something that I think you're gonna write about this week, is that our Darius Stewart and Chad Hansen gonna get more reps. Curse has said, I always talked to Chad talking about I need to see he went to Cows. I'll always give him crap about being another Pack twelve team and how we used to smack them all the time. But um, I always tell him, I'm like, man, I want to see your swag bag. And you know

they've been doing a great job. They've been working on their craft. Um, each and every day I've been trying to talk. I've been talking to him, make myself available for them any any chance that they need help or anything, any questions. Um, So we just look forward them to just step up. I mean, it's the next man up and we're gonna need them in these next couple of games. And so I'm I'm looking forward to watching them play. Now.

The catches have not been there for Hanson and Stewart yet, but the reps are there and that's important to get game rops. So what do you expect from the rookie receivers? Well, just real quick, you mentioned getting reps against the Bills last week, Hanson play of offensive snaps. Stewart played something else that that we should keep an eye on on Sunday. Is who's going to be the punt returner for this team? It was Curly and then Eli McGuire stepped in in

his place. Coach was asked, Hey, is it gonna be Eli? He said, I don't know yet. He wasn't ready to commit, was he? And another interesting thing as we sit here is he was leaving the options open for the club to possibly sign another receiver from hold, somebody from the

practice squad. But you asked me what I expect out of these receivers, and I don't I'm not quite sure, to be honest with you, but I'm excited to see how they play because they've been able to take a back seat throughout the first nine weeks of the season, get implemented here and there. And coach said a couple of weeks ago when he was asked about these guys, he said, listen, they're gonna get their shots later on in the season. I don't think he knew about curly suspension,

but hey, he's true. I mean what he said ended up being true. You'll feel bad for you feel bad for Jeremy kurr Um. And he's been a valuable piece to this offense, especially on third down. Who's m accounts go to guy? Because early on in the season, third and seven, he was going curly freight third and six. He's going to curly for seven. But you are getting valuable reps for a third and fourth round draft picks. How about the Buccaneers this week? You mentioned off the

bat here that no Mike Evans. What does that mean for the Shawn Jackson? I think we should check in with Rick Stroud. All right, Greens, let's bring in Rick Stroud from the Tampa Bay Times. Rick. When I first met you, it was way back in two thousand, I was a pr intern for Reggie Roberts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers And it was Rick Stroud who worked for the St. Pete Time. Yeah. Yeah, I was a newspaper, a goo um her name sat Paper St. Pete Rutter

as it turns out. But unfortunately, um, you know, a couple of years after that, they won the Super Bowl and they they've been trying to get back to win a playoff game and really trying to get back to the playoffs, and it's taking them a decade and it

doesn't look like this will be their year. What has been the most pressing issues for a team who a lot of people thought before the season was gonna be an NFC self contender, definitely a playoff team or a team that would be in the mix late in the year. And here they are sitting at the midway point, scuffling with the two and six record. Yeah, and you can start with the expectations. I mean, I think there was a lot of hype about this team. You know, a

lot of teams that win the off season don't do well. Um, I think you know, they won nine games a year ago, but had not really gotten into the postseason before. Um, there's some I think, truth you'll never be able to measure this that maybe they got over their skis because the biggest thing that's happened, I think you want to break it all kind of down. Um, you know, this was a two and one football team that lost to

the Patriots on Thursday night nineteen to fourteen. They had the ball, uh you know, on the e t yard line and through what in the end zone the game was over, had some kicking issues at that juncture, and then Jamis Winston got hurt. And he got hurt in Arizona, they had a terrible first half, but nonetheless, uh you know, fitz magic Fitzpatrick brought him back a little bit. They lost that game was out of hand when he when he came in down twenty four and nothing. But I

don't think Jamis Winston has been right. Uh you know, he had one good half in in Buffalo and they should have probably won that game. But if you look at it, they're owing four since he got hurt. They've scored nine points in the first half combined of all those games. And I think when your quarterback is not sort of playing at the level that you need him to.

It affects other parts of your game. But I think all of it sort of runs downhill, you know, when that player is not the guy you need him to be. How does this offense change, not only with fits, but with the suspension of Mike Evans, assuming that's upheld, well,

that that's a big loss. And you know, and Jamie's played the biggest role in that as well, because you know, he was out of the game last week in New Orleans and got into an altercation actually, you know, put his hands on one of the defensive backs and that's all Mike Evans saw and came and came to defend his quarterback, but did it in a in a perverse way when you know, plowed into the back of the blindside and so he's out. And that's not gonna hurt

that's not gonna help rather h Fitzpatrick. But you know, Ryan, Ryan will run the offense. He's very capable and I think they have a lot of confidence in him from a team standpoint, but everyone else and it might be a good thing for the Bucks because I ain't you know, in some ways this team felt prey to just sort of waiting for the quarterback to you know, to make a play and get them out of first and twenty and get them out of you know, jams on defense

and and and all those things. So it'll look different. But then again, um, you know, there might there might be some some good to it as well. Does it become a more tight end centric offense? Camera Bray extremely prolific as far as getting into the end zone. He was such a red zone force with Winston and then O. J. Howard developing tight end. Do you think with Evans out of the lineup, maybe the focus goes a little bit towards there and maybe more toward the middle of the field.

I talked to somebody in Tampa earlier this week who said de Sean Jackson is getting open. They just haven't got the ball to him. He easily could have a few long scoring touchdowns this year. Unfortunately for him, his

numbers just haven't done there. Yeah. Well, first of all, the tight ends they have gone with a lot of that type of personnel anyway, And I think you're right that, you know, Chris Godwin's gonna step in and uh, you know for Mike Evans and and he's a capable kids site around pick that look great in training camp and whenever he's been called on. He's a big receiver himself, not not as you know, certainly as as taller, as

established as you know it's Mike Evans. But um, you know they'll look for those matchups and I think they'll have to use the tight ends to to help their left tackle. I mean Donovan Smith, I don't know if he's gonna play this game. He had never missed a snap until he had to come out of the game with a knee injury last week. That means Kevin Pample, who's a guard, and we'll move over to left tackle. Um, you know you'll have a new guard, so sort of a you know, Ryan is going to have to get

the ball out of his hands quick. Um. That that certainly plays the New Year theory about the tight ends. I think you'll see the running backs get more involved in the passing game at times. Um, but they will. He'll spread the ball around and um, you know they've they've really tried to keep those two tight ends on the field as much as possible and uh uh, you know, with the protection issues they may face, I'll probably do

that again on the defensive side of the ball. From where I said, I know about Gerald McCoy, I think a lot of Jets fans know about McCoy, But who's an important piece of this Bugs defense? And just from your point of view, how do you think that this unit has performed in two thousands seventeen so far? Well, it's been up and down. I mean they've been as uh, you know, Mike Smith has said the defensive coordinator like a yo yo. I mean they really have. They've They've

been much better at home. Uh, they've not been very good at all on the road. Now, some of that is you know, when you're when your offense is going three now and you're constantly, you know, out there defending the whole field and maybe sometimes less than the whole field, that that can make them the numbers look a little skewed. But um, look, they don't have anybody on the outside that's getting me. A quarterback Robert Ares has had a

couple of sacks last two weeks. Frankly, they were more quarterbacks pulling the ball down in some kind of coverage situations. I don't know. Frank Crimes can play. If he can, that helps the pass rush because they have a guy that can lock into some receivers. Um, the biggest strength of this defense right now is their linebackers. And Kwan Alexander is still trying to come back. Um, you know, he's he's had a couple of games coming off an injury.

And then Bavonte David has played great for them. I mean he missed some games early as well, but he's got four force fumbles and I really expect him to be a big, big part of any defense they put out there early in a week. What do you see as far as matchups potentially that the Jets might be able to exploit here Sunday, It's kind of interesting. I

think the matchup of the quarterbacks, let's start there. I mean, you've got you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick who was a Jet, Um Josh McCown who was a Buck, and both guys have combined to play for fifteen different football teams, and those are the two that they actually sort of intersect in terms of franchises they play eight for. So um lek Josh McCown, I loved you know when he when he was here, such a good guy as his Fitzpatrick. But you know, he's freakish athletically, he seems to be

on a pretty good role. Um, you know, so I'm interested to see, you know, in an Austin Sufarian Jenkins, the guy the Bucks are premiary with as well at tight end. Um, you know those are certainly you know, a combination is gonna be to watch. But but but really, I think the Jets defense is playing at such a high level. I mean what they did the Buffalo was was not a mirage, right, I mean that defensive line got after some people. Um, the Bucks have played the Bills,

they know how effective they aren't running the ball. Tyrod Taylor can be a handful with his ability to extend plays. And I really looked for this Jets defense to, you know, to to really sort of you know, try to dominate that offensive line that, like I said, will be missing Donovan Smith and if the box are unable, uh, you know, to to to get the running game going at all, whether they have to spread them out or what do they have to do and maybe they have to throw

it to create some running lanes. Um, this is gonna be a tough day. I mean, you know, early in the season you would have said this would be a game that that the Bucks would be favorite in. But I really like the way the Jets are playing and um, and I think they match up, you know well for

them against Tampa Bay. Lastly, Wreck, what kind of performance do you expect from the Buccaneers this team coming off a beat down in New Orleans and sitting at this point halfway through their season, nowhere close to where they expected to be, do you expect them to come out with an inspired effort. I don't know, it's a great question. Um,

I wish I had a better answer. I think that you know, this is gonna be a real tell for these guys, because you know, when you remove the carrot, I mean, you know, certainly if they had one last week, even at three and four, with a win over the Saints, Um, you know, they could have probably seen a change of attitude and a chance maybe to get back in the division.

Now that seems to be removed. So I mean, really you're talking about you know, guys, you're gonna find out who's gonna fight, And um, I think that you know, they have good leadership in the locker room, but look, when you lose that many games in a row, you think they can't you know, can't lose five and early, can't lose six and row. Well, it happens that way.

I watched the team will lose ten in a row after four and to start so losing the guests losing and and right now, there's nothing positive that has happened other than you know, and this could be a mixed blessing. They're at home and they played better at home. Um, they couldn't play worse on the road, but they played

better at home. And I think that, you know, there's a chance, just a chance that knowing that you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing, um, that they're gonna have to play big in all three phases to help their quarterback, which I should have been doing all along. Um, they might actually have a decent game as a team, and that's what's gonna take for him. So I'm looking forward to coming back to the pirate ship. Rec Thank you so much for your analysis, and uh we'll continue to

check out your coverage the Tampa Tops. All right, guys, great having you look for good stuff. From Rick Stroude of the Tampa Bay Times. Um, Green's defensively right now, the Buccaneers are scuffling, but The thing that Stroud said to us that stands out to me is Lavante David is a guy to keep your eyes on Sunday afternoon before we wrap up here. E A. But you didn't do it last week. We had a short week. I didn't ask you. I switched up the question. What's the

age matchup this weekend? I would say it's going to be the Jets defense, the line against the Buccaneers offensive line. Rick Stroud talked about it at a length. This is a team dealing with injuries up front. They haven't been able to consistently get pushed. The Jets every week is you know haul Greens. They say in the locker room they want to make teams one dimensional. Well, so far this season, Tampa has really been one dimensional because they have not been able to get Doug Martin going from

what scene and what the stats indicate. And if you make Ryan Fitzpatrick one dimensional, even though he has weapons, it's gonna be awfully difficult for this Buccaneers offense against the Jets defense. And that's the one thing Rick Stroud pointed out was that the matchup for the Jets defense is extremely favorable. I'm gonna switch the side of the ball here. I'm curious to see what happens for the

Jets ground game. Last week a nine four yards on the ground, Calvin Beecham said, should have been two hundred or to fifty. So we'll see how they're able to execute against the defense. No, you're right, this is somewhat of a homecoming from Blah blah blah. It is Lakeland, Florida, not too far away from Tampa. All right, there you have it. Man. Maybe he runs wild this Sunday, hopefully

for him staff before we get away. Uh, you know, our great contributor in New York Jets dot com and many of our platforms, Randy Lank said that with one more roun a fifty US yards, BLAA will become the first New York Jet to have run for three fifty plus gains on the ground in one season. Right now, he's got to Will it happens Sunday? You gotta stay tuned. Jets bucks Week ten in Florida. Again. The storylines are

there if you love storylines. Just's Patrick playing against the Jets, McCown playing against his former team, a s J playing against his former team, and my personal favorite, he a returned to the pirate ship and now you have it. The Jets Offacial Podcast game preview, Eric Allen, Ethan Greenberg, Anthony backed Rick Stroud. We'll see you next week. M hm s.